360voice Dev Blog

Steve and Trapper on ThisXboxLife

Hey everyone... Steve and I were on ThisXboxLife this week with an hour long interview with Wingman709 and bjswick33.

The topic is Steve and I's day job, gamerDNA.com, but the interview gives you some insight into our challenges running 360voice at the same time... and how the last year has changed our outlook on things, while keeping other things the same.

Give it a listen

It has been awhile since the linky...

I am going through the RSS reader today... here are some fun links to 360voice.

Threevue.com
"...maybe pretty soon my 360voice blog will stop guilt-tripping me…"

PhilCanavan.com
"It redefines the term ‘blogging’. so if you have a 360 pop along and sign up!"

FDNY Shadow
"Its pretty cool. It even writes the blog for you."

Video Games, I Play Them
"Seeing my 360 complain about what a jerk of an owner I am on its own fake blog makes me sad..."

Everyday Gamer
"The website tracks what games are being played for each registered user and automatically displays them in a blog..."

Comic Relief
"...it makes me pick up a controller, just to keep my streaks going!!"

Most of the links in my queue were articles about the GamerDNA/360voice merger... so I spared you that rehash as they all linked to the same press release and all said the same things... and we already linked about that, so we didn't need the retread! :)

Thanks everyone for the mentions!

Interview at Xboxpodcast.com!

The guys over at Xboxpodcast.com interviewed Squidpunch and myself about the announced merger with GamerDNA. It turned into a great conversation. I suggest you head over and give it a listen if you want to find out what some of the goals and ideas are. Wingman709 and Bjswick33 asked some good questions!

Episode 55
This week we talked about Pirates in GTA IV, Battlefield Bad Company weapons clarification, and a few release dates in honor of the cow. Our feature this week covers an unknown game called GTA IV and we have some HUGE community news from one of our friends that you won't want to miss. Then to close out this weeks show have answer a few viewer questions. Enjoy!

Listen to the show! [mp3]

Our interview comes at the 27 minute mark if you want to jump to it.

Working with data feeds (our API)

Jerry Lees published a great article at the IT Knowledge Exchange about using the 360voice API and I just wanted to call it out. It is fun when you read about people really understanding what we are trying to do by publishing an API. If you are technically inclined, feel free to dig deeper by reading more:

...I remembered a great community site, that I’ve been a member of for a little over a year or so, called 360voice. Basically, those guys have a truly awesome idea over there… I play games with my Xbox 360 and it blogs about the times we have—and I don’t have to do any work on my own.  If you have a 360 and don’t have an account setup, go over and check it out, tell ‘em Jlees sent you. Heck, while you are at it watch my blog there and drop me a note.

At any rate, one of my challenges was to get everyone the same XML file, while not creating it myself because I wanted the script to be useful under certain circumstances. 360voice came through with their API Documentation! Think about it… now your scripting life has insite into your gaming life (and other’s as well) you could write a script to compare your achievements to your buddies, show the games you haven’t completed, and all sorts of ither stuff. Why?? Because you can!

Read more

Remember, if you do something cool with our API, email us or post in the community showcase!

Linky linky time!

Here it is... people who are taking their sweet-time and writing about us. Bless their hearts!

Breakingwindows.com
"My 360 officially went through an Emo stage earlier in the week, and how now turned into pure, unadulterated hatred."

Andrew's Blog
"I recalled a post by Richard Costall - What's your Xbox 360 Saying? whereby there is a service offered called 360Voice and this enables your Xbox 360 to write it's own blog - so you get to hear what your Xbox is thinking.  I thought it would be quite funny to see what my Xbox 360 would say about my gaming activity, especially as I am not a very heavy gamer."

NowGal's Corner
"I don’t do anything but play on the Xbox, and then check the blog and snicker a bit."

411Mania.com
"Unfortunately the system isn't perfect, and there are still some pretty widely known - or at least suspected - cheaters who've managed to stick around. Could that guy be any more blatant? Check out his 360voice page, where he's gaining score without playing games."

Xbox Cheater watch
"Thanks to the work of 360voice.com, we have yet another tool at our disposal to investigate alleged cheaters."

Worldwide Gamers Blog
"Why not give your Xbox 360 a voice? surely you would like to know. At 360Voice you will be able to. That what ive been doing since i have had mine."

Cougar's Corner
"It almost sounds like a MySpace type account for your Xbox 360. It’s free to sign up so I gave it a shot."

Jasarien.com
"I’ve also gone and gotten myself one of those 360Voice blogs, so effectively my 360 now has its own blog, which is interesting."

ChapsNet
"Check out my Xbox's Blog ... to hear him whining about how neglected he is."

Thanks everyone! And sorry again to all of you who had your mentions deleted... I am sure if you mention us again... I will see it! :)

Fatty Chubs is a "super MVP"

To know him... is to love him... Our very own Fatty Chubs has been mentioned on Xbox.com as a Super MVP!

Lurking at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina is another of our Super MVPs, Fatty Chubs. His coworkers know him as Stephen Sopp, but what they don't know is that, after his job as a web developer, he moonlights as a Super MVP. This includes the power to create and run 360voice.com, and to set up great tournaments like the 360voice challenges and their Old Spice Rewards contest.

Read about the other super MVPs!

If you are wondering to yourself, "What is this MVP madness?" you can find out more information in the Xbox.com forum FAQ.

Rabid72's Spotlight on 360voice

I was going through my feeds and came across Rabid72's blog where he did a spotlight on 360voice:

While the website drew initial attention from its unique and humorous “Give your Xbox its own blog” features, 360Voice.com has grown into one of the most comprehensive statistic-tracking websites in existence.

Read more

Rabid72 is an Xbox MVP and runs a great blog that focuses on the community. Go check it out.

Lot O' 360voice Links

Check out this latest link dump from people around the net... talkin' bout 360voice!

Plane of Nonconformity
"A personal project, GamerScoreGoal.com, that I have been working involves tracking Xbox live GamerScore.  One of my personal favorite Xbox sites is 360voice.com where your Xbox 360 blogs about your playing habits.  360 voice has an API set including one that returns the GamerScore history for a particular Gamertag."

Tuaw.com
"There are quite a few ways online to see what your friends are up to in Xbox Live -- the most fun way is probably the 360 Voice site (that lets your Xbox blog about what you've been playing lately"

Starpulse.com
"So do you think you're the best Xbox 360 gamer out there? Do you like pumping up your GamerScore and showing it off online? Then 360 Voice and Old Spice have the challenge for you."

Gamer Hero
"I registered my Xbox live gamertag (well TootieCarparts did) and a few days later I had a personalized blog from my 360’s perspective. Weird huh? I thought so too but after a few days of reading the snarky remarks it made about my gaming habits it got to be quite addictive."

MadLion's Blog
"Seeing as my current badge is “Emo” I think I better go and turn on my 360 and play with it before it red rings itself."

Kalamaf Drackonsbane
"In a strange but entertaining turn of events, my XBox 360 is blogging about me behind my back! "

Zaam IT
"Somebody of you may know that 360FriendSpot was initially born thanks to a little project called Xbox Live Friend Finder. I started it thanks to 360Voice..."

The Ramblings of a Bilbo
"I hate it when my gaming system lies about me."

Outside the box
"My friend Jeff recently introduced me to a fantastic little web site that gives voice to your Xbox360 Live Profile, and documents your gaming progress in a humorous manner."

Edwin Soto's Blog
"I love gaming but still manage not to totally obsess over it. That being said, lately I’ve been on a gaming binge thanks to Achievements."

At Last! a place to keep my memory
"My Xbox 360 writes its own blog, without any interaction from myself!"

Generation Zune
"If you are a gamer and are looking for a new Zune, 360voice.com has got your back..."

Detour
"Thanks to the folks @ 360voice, we can now see everyone’s current streak on their blog page. (my idea!)"

Yahoo! Tech
"We're trying something new here at Yahoo! Tech, and I think it's something you'll like: FREE STUFF. To wit, we're giving away, right here on this very blog, a big prize package courtesy of the Old Spice Ultimate Challenge, 360voice.com, and Xbox. "

Gaming Bits
"Remember the Xbox Live Rewards program Old Spice Experience Challenge that was going on last year? Well, although Microsoft is no longer involved in that, the Xbox 360 blogging site 360voice.com and it's community has been handling the promotions and giveaways for the continuing Old Spice Challenges."

A slice of my life
"...every day I play it says some random weird thing about my pounding it's buttons or having greasy fingers. Creepy."

Matt Hester's Weblog
"That's right folks, my Xbox has it's on blog, I know that is sad, but oh man it is so terrifically geeky."

Paused
"I don't know if you're aware of this, but the future is now. How do I know this? Because video game systems have become sentient."

Random Encounters
"I set this up the otherday, you can watch as my xbox  360 blogs it’s silicon heart out."

So there you have it... almost two years in and still getting the linkage! Thanks everyone!

Interviewed by Frag Doll Jam

Steve and I had a really fun interview with Jam from Frag Dolls UK. She asked great questions and she put out a very well edited podcast... I think during recording it... Skype crashed... and my daughter shattered a wine glass in the kitchen. Good times. Anyhow, check it:

Or is it?  Frag Doll Jam grabs the scoop from Trapper Markelz and Stephen Sopp, creators of massive community site 360voice.com.  How did they come up with the idea?  How much of a role did Microsoft play in its creation?  And what they think about those notorious Avatar: The Burning Earth achievements…

Go listen!

There is also a funny picture of Steve and I that she posted... bonus! Thanks Jam!

Link dump action

Check out these sites checking out us. It is our way of linking back in thanks for the in coming linkage.

About.com Xbox Games
"Not only does your Xbox 360 "blog" and tell the world everything you played and how angry it is when you don't play, but it keeps track of consecutive days played streaks, day-to-day gamerscore changes, and rankings against other members among many other things."

Blogster McTavish
"I've been signed up for 360voice for some time and that site gives my 360 it's own 'blog' so to speak. It also reports my most frequently played games, topped by Guitar Hero ][, Bejeweled and Rainbow Six: Vegas."

Blend Games
"The formation of challenges this time around has been updated to make it accessible to the casual gamer just as much as the hardcore. There will be four tiers involved, and all you have to do to get involved is find enough friends to compete against. You can have your own little challenges with those you know, trust and love."

Life in the Valley
""What on Earth would your Xbox blog about?" you ask? Simple. It talks about the games I play!"

Unofficial Xbox 360 News Blog
"As long as your Xbox 360 is connected to the internet under the corresponding Gamertag, the site will moniter everything you do each day and 'write' about it!"

Chronic Gamer Chronicles
"I am a very competitive gamer, and this challenge is right up my alley. I am pulling every imaginary rabbit out of my proverbial hat to win, and I have no hesitation stabbing my friends in the back to do so."

Crystal Perceptions
"What's up with web 2.0 anyway? Some of it is cool, like Blogs and Wiki's, but much of it is silly, like Twitter? I mean who really cares what you are doing at "this second" in two lines or less? And why would i want it on my cell phone? *shrug* Too old school I guess. :) But 2.0 does do one thing cool, who ever thought you game system could blog for you."

Blades of 360
"It seems that rwgriersr  has developed a gamerscore graph for his iPhone app and now you too can get your own personalized graph."

Vegetable Soup
"In further proof that machines are taking over the planet and will one day rule over us in a tyranical mecha-droidal type way, my Xbox360 has now developed the capacity to produce its own blog."

Tunnels of Doom
"I signed up for one of those Old Spice Gamerscore Challenges run through the 360 Voice site. In this case it was instituted by some folks on Goozex’s forums and the reward is a $100 Best Buy gift card, which isn’t shabby."

PastePotPete
"Sure, it has little, if anything to do with comic books.  But it’s true! And that rapscallion of a 360 is blogging faithfully..."

GameZone
"Old Spice and 360voice.com have announced their collaboration on the Old Spice Experience Challenge (www.oldspiceexperiencechallenge.com)."

Rakkoon
"I didn’t loose my streak after all. Sweet!"

Thank you everyone, big and small, for the mentions!